Answer Me This

By Christie Chisholm

The news just keeps on coming. Some days you pay attention. Some days you don't. Look here in every Alibi to refresh your memory about what's going on in your community. Don't worry if you don't know all the answers—there's a cheat sheet at the end.

1) Last year New Mexico ranked 48th in the nation for child health and welfare. According to a Kids Count report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation released last week, what did the state rank this year?

a. 33rd

b. 47th

c. 25th

d. 48th, the same as last year

2) City Councilor Don Harris, who serves District 9 in the Northeast Heights, will face a recall election within the next three months. How many signatures did the petition demanding a recall need?

a. 25 percent of the number of people who voted in the last election

b. 922

c. 2,000

d. Both a and b

e. Both a and c

3) Last week it was announced that same-sex couples from New Mexico could get married:

a. In New Mexico

b. In Canada

c. In Massachusetts

d. Nowhere

4) Over the last century, New Mexico and Arizona have lost up to 90 percent of theirriparian ecosystems. A recent study by the state Department of Game and Fish shows that what animal is in danger from a loss of this habitat?

1) B. New Mexico only climbed one ranking since last year, leaving the state with some of the worst statistics for teen deaths, child poverty and high-school dropouts in the country.

2) D. Recall elections require signatures from a quarter of the number of people who voted in the most recent election. Harris argued that the number should be based off turnout from a general election in 2005, the year he was voted into office. But State District Judge William Lang ruled that a runoff election the following month should be used instead, cutting the required number of signatures from 2,000 to 922.

3) C. Massachusetts officials announced that New Mexicans could legally marry there since same-sex marriage isn’t banned in New Mexico. However, couples who travel to the Northeast state aren’t assured their marriage will be recognized when they return home. New Mexico remains in limbo on same-sex marriage, neither legalizing or banning it; although bills representing both sides of the issue will likely be introduced in next year’s legislative session.

4) E. The populations of these two small mammals, which are found exclusively in this region, are dwindling. Their endangerment is a sign of a larger problem with a loss of riparian ecosystems, scientists say. Of New Mexico’s known 867 species of invertebrates, more than half rely on aquatic, wetland or riparian habitat.